christopher price

Don't doubt Danny Woodhead

Danny Woodhead has faced doubt his whole life. Even when he first joined the Patriots, there was some initial skepticism the 5-foot-9, 195-pound running back could be a contributor — when talking about him in interviews, a couple of veterans couldn’t even get his name right, calling him “Goodhead.”

But through nine games with the Patriots, he has made believers of his teammates and New England fans, becoming an integral part of the New England offense — the 26-year-old has 64 carries for 344 yards and three touchdowns in the running game, as well as 24 catches for 230 yards and one touchdown in the passing game. It adds up to a remarkable 5.6 yards per touch, good for third in the NFL.

“Great player, great person,” wide receiver Deion Branch said of Woodhead. “[We] thank the Jets for letting him go. We truly appreciate it.”

Brad Smith, who coached Woodhead at Chadron State, still speaks with Woodhead on a regular basis, and said he’s not shocked at the numbers the running back has posted with the Patriots.

“I’m not surprised he’s had the success that he has in New England,” said Smith, who is now the athletic director at the Nebraska school. “I haven’t been surprised. If you’ve known Danny as long as I have, I’ve seen him do some impressive things over the course of his career. When you put together the outstanding talent and athleticism with his huge heart, it doesn’t surprise me a bit.”

In fact, the only people who haven’t doubted Woodhead his entire life are the folks back at Chadron State. As a collegian, he won two consecutive Harlon Hill Trophies honoring the best player in Division II. He also finished his college career with 7,962 yards, which was the most in NCAA history at the time and 9,749 all-purpose yards, which was second all-time. In addition, he rushed for 200 yards in 19 games and scored 654 points with 109 touchdowns, and his 2,756 rushing yards in 2006 is an all-time NCAA record.

But no one came calling on draft day, and he was signed by the Jets as a rookie free agent on May 2, 2008. He spent his rookie season on injured reserve, but was signed to New York’s practice squad in 2009, and then added to the 53-man roster on Oct. 17, 2009. That season, he was used sparingly by New York, playing in ten regular-season games and finished with 15 rushing attempts for 64 yards and eight receptions for 87 yards.

In the 2010 season opener for the Jets, he made one tackle on special teams, but in a personnel decision that New England football fans will always rememer, he was waived by New York on Sept. 14 so the Jets could make room for wide receiver David Clowney (who has since been released) and Joe McKnight (who has four carries for 12 yards this season). New England picked him up four days later.

“I’d say that of course we were aware of him from his time out of college and when he initially was with the Jets,” said Patriots coach Bill Belichick. “We certainly got a good look at him in preseason when we were starting to break down the Jets games and then at the beginning of the season when he wasn’t on their 53-man roster. He was right at the top of our short list and after we traded Laurence [Maroney] then we had an opportunity or a spot and a little bit of a need at that position, so we signed him prior to Kevin [Faulk’s] injury, which really made it a need.

“Danny has done a really good job of learning the offense and the kicking game. He has contributed for us in those phases of the game and he’s been an important member of our team all year. He’s made plays in the running game, the passing game and on special teams, so he’s done a real solid job.”

Woodhead has neatly slipped into the role of third-down back previously occupied by Faulk (who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 against the Jets). His best moment came in the Patrots’ 31-28 win over the Colts, where he provided a spark with a 36-yard touchdown run that showed a combination of power, agility and flat-out speed ... and then, he made the tackle on the ensuing kickoff.

His nine games with the Patriots have certainly turned doubters into believers, including his old team.

“He’s been great for them,” said Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “[He] really fits their system. It’s amazing. Kevin Faulk, he’s done a great job in that role, running the ball with them. I’ve got a ton of respect for Danny Woodhead. I always thought [that] he’s a terrific player.”

“The fact is, coach Belichick and the Patriots gave him more of a chance to show what he could do,” Smith said. “I remember the game after he was picked up, he was so excited about the number of plays he received — it was something like 40 or 50 snaps in the game with the Patriots, as opposed to four or five with the Jets. It made him feel like he’s part of a program where he can make a difference.”

Woodhead recently signed a two-year extension with the Patriots, and for the first time in his professional career, has some security. But Smith said that Patriots fans shouldn’t expect Woodhead to change in the slightest.

“The thing that strikes me the most is how humble he is,” Smith said. “He’s just the type of man where nothing surprises you.”

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